


Prima Facie

by Sunshinegrimes



Category: Daredevil (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Defenders (Marvel TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, Asexuality, Borderline Personality Disorder, Coming Out, Dex has issues, Established Relationship, Everyone Has Issues, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mental Instability, Pre Daredevil 3x01, Ray has issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 10:26:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17140061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunshinegrimes/pseuds/Sunshinegrimes
Summary: "Something was wrong. Dex’s fingers, which were usually so talented, so confident, seemed hesitant and clumsy. Ray might have passed it off as first time nerves. Honestly, if Dex was a virgin, then on top of their first time together, that would be a perfectly good reason why he felt so anxious. This, however, was more than first time nerves, and Ray wasn’t about to let Dex slip under the radar."In which Dex comes clean to Ray about a long-kept secret, and Ray makes good on a promise.----*SET BEFORE DAREDEVIL 3.01*





	Prima Facie

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DoctorIdiot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorIdiot/gifts).



Ray loves watching Dex laugh.

Correction, Ray loves  _making_  Dex laugh.

Ray had been dating Dex for almost a month now, and since then, Ray had had a thousand small moments of realisation, just like this one.

Moments, and actions, which had once been platonic, filed away as camaraderie, now held a deeper meaning. A physical man by nature, Ray expressed his affection through touch, something Dex was, luckily, incredibly receptive to. At any time, Ray was able to reach out and hold onto Dex’s arm, to steer him one way, or to direct his attention. More often than not, Ray found himself raising his hand, to squeeze Dex’s shoulder, or to pat his back for a job well done. Dex drank up his affection, welcomed it in any form it took.  
  
That wasn’t to say they hadn’t been close before their relationship began. A rough teething phase, and many tentative truths later, they had connected, flawed hearts bared, and eyes red rimmed with past regrets. Over the months, they learned three simple truths. One: Dex was an incredibly complicated, emotionally charged man, who would sooner burn all of his bridges, then let anyone get too close. Two: that most days Ray felt like he could be buried under the weight of his own failures and lay awake at night wishing he could do more, help more. Three: That if they listened, supported, and loved one another, they could hold each other together. They could weather through anything that the world threw at them.  
  
Time between missions was spent alone together, or with their team. Their core group, most of whom had known each other since the academy, were like an extended family, but the recent relationship development between Dex and Ray had caused a stir. All of them knew of Ray’s previous marriage, but if they had expected Ray to glumly stroll back into the lonely hearts club, they were mistaken. So many agents Ray knew had ploughed their relationships into the ground on miscommunication and trying to make things work for their children, or other family members. Seema, who had been smart enough to identify Ray’s feelings about Dex early on, was still on good speaking terms with Ray. He saw Sami regularly, and although he would always love Seema, he was forever grateful of the space, and the compassion Seema had granted him, to ensure they could all be happy. 

Now, as Ray watched Dex from over rim of his glass, he felt a similar gratitude for the many blessings Dex had brought into his life. Dex, very rarely, laughed with his whole body, and Ray smiled widely at the curve of Dex’s spine, the way his powerful chest heaved, as he grabbed onto Ray’s shoulder for support. They were out drinking with the team, celebrating their success and spending a few hours revelling in the high spirits that lingered after their briefing. Ray leaned into the contact, and pressed a kiss to Dex’s hair, clasping their fingers together under the table. Dex had locked eyes with him after that, and Ray had been unable to help himself, planting a kiss on Dex’s lips. Dex tasted of the beer that he had been sipping conservatively, and he was still laughing even when he pulled away. Ray felt proud of himself for having told a good story, and it was worth every ounce of self-deprecation to see the unabashed humour on Dex’s face.   
  
That was, until Mendez made a comment across the table.  
  
“Looks like someone’s getting laid tonight.”  
  
The rest of the group crowed at the comment, but to Ray, it was like someone had pulled a plug on a light show. Dex’s eyes grew cold, and his smile faded to a glimmer of what it had been before. Tiredness, matched with a thousand-yard stare, hung around Dex’s eyes, and he shifted uncomfortably on his seat. The interaction was over in moments, the group already carrying on the conversation without them. Under the table, Ray squeezed Dex’s fingers, silently asking if he was alright. He received two squeezes in return,  _Yes_ , but Ray could see through Dex’s attempts to reassure him. Regardless of whether Mendez had intended to upset Dex, something had clearly changed. Ray downed the rest of his drink. He scooped his wallet and phone up from the table and looked around at the team. His hand remained firmly wrapped around Dex’s.  
  
“I think we’re gonna turn in for the night. It’s late, I’ll see you all tomorrow.” It was clearly the wrong thing to say, as the team only laughed more, thinking that Mendez was onto something. Ray didn’t care. Dex’s feelings, which were obviously bruised, mattered more to him than the drunken teasing of his team mates. They both stood, and Dex muttered a quiet goodbye as they made their way out of the bar. The night air was warm, and a sultry, summer breeze was blowing over the city. Ray tugged at his collar, freeing up a few of the buttons and making him wish he hadn’t drunk so much. Beside him, and now holding his arm, Dex was quiet, lost in thought. Ray had no idea what was on his mind, but it was very much something he wanted to get to the bottom of, away from the prying eyes and ears of their team.  
  
“Looks like someone’s getting laid tonight.” Mendez’s words played over and over in his mind, despite how inaccurate they were, and how they would probably remain that way for a while. The truth was, that even after a month of dating, and years of prior history, Ray had yet to sleep with Dex. At first, Ray had assumed that Dex wanted to take things slow, knowing how long it had taken for Dex to open up about his personal life.  
  
As their friendship, and subsequent relationship had progressed, Dex had begun to accept more and more touches from Ray. Now established, and out to their friends and family, they hugged, and held hands whenever the need to do so arose. They kissed, frequently, when the situation was appropriate, and tried to keep their working hours as professional as possible. At home, Dex would gladly sit between Ray’s knees, his back to the sofa, whilst Ray massaged his scalp. He would let Ray feed him when they shared dessert, and huddled up to him whilst they watched movies on Ray’s couch. Likewise, Ray would make dinner for them most days a week. He trusted Dex with his credit cards, and more than once, Ray had lain patiently on his front, sighing under his breath as his back muscles were kneaded and smoothed under Dex’s talented fingers. They had lain in bed, sandwiched together, barely an inch between them and yet...  
  
_Yet_... when it came to sex, Dex seemed to put the brakes on. It’s not that Dex felt threatened by Ray, he had allowed plenty of opportunities to be vulnerable around Ray. It also wasn’t that Dex was oblivious, Ray had been sending our small hints, a few flirting gestures here and there to try and pique Dex’s interest. These gestures seemed to frustrate Dex though, or make him suddenly change his actions into something less physically intimate.

Dex’s refusal to reciprocate bothered Ray. Not because Ray felt like he was unattractive to Dex, or he felt like Dex owed him anything. In fact, Ray was happy to take things slow, if Dex needed to warm up in his own time. No, it bothered Ray, because he felt that there was something he was missing, something Dex was hurting from, but clearly not wanting to share with him. In his line of work, Ray was trained to put the pieces together, to hypothesise based on the evidence before him, but with Dex blocking him at every lead, Ray felt like he was pushing against a brick wall.  
  
They made it home half an hour later, still in silence, a little past 10 in the evening. Ray’s system was still buzzing with alcohol, but Dex was perfectly sober, the single beer he only half drank had worn off by now. Ray released Dex to walk ahead of him, and turned to lock up their apartment. He was just drawing the deadbolt across, when he felt Dex press up against his back, his mouth warm, and open against Ray’s nape.  Heat curled down Ray’s spine, and he quickly spun around to capture Dex’s lips as the other man leaned closer into his personal space. Dex was a good kisser, and Ray had been on the receiving end of enough of Dex’s affection to know urgency when he felt it. Ray wanted to ask what had brought on the sudden change of mood, however, before he could speak, Dex beat him to it.  
  
“Bedroom. Now.” Dex demanded, his voice sounding rough, determined. Ray’s knees felt weak at the tone, maybe even a little bit giddy as he smoothed his hands over Dex’s hips and tugged him closer for a final kiss. Despite the golden pathway that had just opened up before him, Ray had to be sure, he had to know this was something Dex was ready to commit to.  
  
“Are you sure?” Ray’s vision swam, from adrenaline and the alcohol that was still affecting him. Dex stared at him wordlessly for a moment, before grabbing his arm, almost hauling him away from the front door. Ray’s feet stumbled underneath him, and the gears in his brain took even longer to turn as he was guided into the confines of his room.

 _Maybe._ Ray thought. _Maybe I have been overanalysing this._ If Dex had finally worked up the courage for sex, he wasn’t about to let this opportunity pass him by. Perhaps Dex only needed to get over the anticipation of their first time together, perhaps it would be easier for him, for both of them, after this time. Dex turned Ray around forcefully to kiss him again, effectively eliminating all of his trains of thought, and pushed Ray back little by little until his knees hit the bed, forcing him to sit. As Ray braced his hands either side of him on for balance, Dex knelt down, and pushed his torso between Ray’s knees. Through the breathless glide of their kisses, Ray could feel Dex’s hands wandering over his shoulders, cupping his face and sliding down his chest towards... towards...   
  
The moment Dex’s large, warm hand palmed over the crotch of his slacks, Ray’s thought processes came roaring back online. In reality, the sensual touch should have obliterated his mind to some far-off place, made him moan, his eyes close, and his hips push up into the contact. He would be vocal, encouraging, let Dex know what he liked. Ray was comfortable with his body, he knew what felt good, and this first time with Dex was something he had been looking forward to greatly.  
  
But something was wrong. Dex’s fingers, which were usually so talented, so confident, seemed hesitant and clumsy. Dex broke away from kissing him, and he sank further between Ray’s thighs with an almost imperceptible expression of… _not good_. Ray might have passed it off as first time nerves. Honestly, if Dex was a virgin, then on top of their first time together, that would be a perfectly good reason why he felt so anxious. This, however, was more than first time nerves, and Ray wasn’t about to let Dex slip under the radar.  
  
“Wait.” Feeling a lot more sober, Ray reached up and placed a hand on Dex’s wrist, curling his fingers around it gently, but firm enough to get Dex to stop. Dex looked away from Ray’s zipper, from the pressing heat of his erection. Ray could feel Dex’s pulse, thrumming quick, anxious inside his wrist, and very little reluctance, Dex let his hand be lifted to Ray’s knee instead. “Stop, Dex.”  
  
“Why? You’re clearly enjoying yourself.” Dex’s tone was almost petulant, like Ray was keeping him from some grand prize, but his face was lined with the tentative beginnings of relief, of revulsion. The look on his face drew Ray’s eyes away from Dex’s face, down to his partner’s body. Even in the dim, orange light of their bedroom, Ray could see the truth as clear as day.  
  
“You’re not even hard.” Ray pointed out, and winced, having hoped to sound less accusing, more concerned.  
  
“I’ll get there, my dick just needs some more time to get with the program.” Dex tried to smile, but as Ray smoothed his other hand over Dex’s shoulder, he could feel the underlying tension in his partners body.  
  
“Dex, you don’t have to force yourself. I want you to enjoy this... to feel good.” Dex didn’t reply to that, and his expression only became more pinched, his eyebrows drawing up and his jaw clenching around what he wanted to say. His façade was slipping, and it was becoming more and more evident by the second that Dex had been feigning interest. Ray couldn’t believe how stupid he had been. His mind was spinning, and his arms were covered in goose bumps. If he had been a little more drunk, or a little less aware, Dex may have been able to continue. The thought of Dex struggling, of pretending to want this, made him want to throw up. “Why don’t we stop, and you can come up here and talk to me?” Ray circled his thumb against the ball of Dex’s shoulder, before he let go of Dex’s wrist, cupped the back of his neck and kissed his temple.

Dex simply nodded, and in a clumsy, awkward movement, he drew himself up to his full height. With no further pretence of sensuality, Dex shed his coat, and his shoes were pried off with stiff fingers. Ray bent down, and unlaced his own shoes, placing them neatly beside the bed. He scooted backwards, up the bed, laying fully clothed as he waited. 

Dex took his time about joining him, but once he was settled on the bed, Ray placed his hand between them in a silent offering. Dex took his hand, in his own clammy one, and lay down on his back. Dex stared at their fingers, his expression still set in a despondent frown. With careful consideration of his next words, Ray brought their joined hands up towards his own face. He kissed Dex’s knuckles using only the barest of touches, just enough for Dex to feel the heat of his lips, not enough to potentially cause any discomfort.  
  
“So Dex, you wanna tell me what all this was about then, hm?” Ray tried for nonchalance, as he brought their hands back down to the bedding. As with every time they held hands, Ray would never be the first to let go, and he would never, never hold hard enough to prevent Dex from having a way out.   
  
“It’s hard to explain, I don’t really know where to start.” Dex confessed in a small voice. He sounded so unsure, so tense, that Ray’s heart broke all over again. “Maybe if you ask specifics...” Ray nodded. This was a tactic they had used before. When Dex had previously felt too overwhelmed, too unstable to answer about how he was feeling, it was easier to answer a series of ‘yes or no’, or ‘this or that’ style questions.   
  
“Alright so... you brought me back here, and you approached me with the intention of having sex. Or, at the very least, some form of sexual contact.” Dex nodded, and his face displayed the same subtle revulsion as before, so Ray continued. “But you didn’t want to.” Dex shook his head, then hesitated, rubbing a hand down his face. Ray would need to be more specific if he was to uncover the real motive. “You wanted to, because you wanted to do something for me?” Ray tried very hard to keep his voice steady, and was both relieved, and upset, when Dex finally nodded. “Dex, you don’t owe me anything, especially not your body. If you’re not ready to have sex, then I’ll wait.”  
That didn’t seem to comfort Dex as much as Ray hoped. Instead, he blinked rapidly, and tears escaped the corners of his eyes, running down his temples. Ray squeezed Dex’s hand firmly, kissing his knuckles again.  
  
“What if...” Dex took a deep breath, having finally found some of his voice. “What if I never want to have sex. _Ever?_ " Dex still wouldn’t look at Ray, as if he felt unworthy, or had angered Ray in some way. His question, admittedly, caught Ray a little off guard, but as he processed it, Dex’s previous behaviours began to make sense. Still, there were some things he had to know, if only to prevent missteps in the future. He would try his best not to be invasive in this emotional minefield.  
  
“Is it trauma related? You don’t need to be specific.” Ray added the second part hastily, knowing Dex might not be ready to dwell on any details. Ray breathed out a sigh when Dex shook his head, finally looking him in the eye. “Have you had sex before?” Dex shook his head again, visibly wincing. “Has someone prepositioned you in the past?” A nod. “But you turned them down?”  
  
“I was never a dick about it, but people don’t really understand it when you say you don’t want sex. It’s nothing personal.” Dex squeezed their hands this time, and Ray huffed a small humourless laugh.  
  
“I guess most people think humans are hard wired to enjoy it, or want it in some way.” Ray offered, and Dex smiled grimly in response. “But not you, huh?”  
  
“Can’t relate.” Dex raised one eyebrow, and this time his smile was a little more genuine. “I’ve tried plenty of times to warm up to the idea. I’ve read stories, and that worked to an extent. I can get hard on my own, with my own thoughts. But moment I can see a person, like in a magazine, or watching porn, I don't feel the attraction anymore. I've even tried going to strip clubs, but… nothing. With all this talk about how great it is, how embedded, normalised, it is in our society, there’s so much pressure to just...” Ray waited until Dex had trailed off, before asking his next question.  
  
“Did I ever put any pressure on you?”  
  
“What? No.” Dex was frowning again. He turned on his side, and scooted closer. Ray wound an arm around his torso, rubbing warm, comforting circles on his lower back. “You weren’t pressuring me. I’d do anything for you Ray, even if I didn’t get anything out of it, I’d be happy just knowing you’d feel good.”  
  
“Dex.” Ray paused the slow movements of his hand, and he waited until he had Dex’s full attention before continuing. “I would never do anything that selfish. I don’t ever want to hurt you like that. Sex isn’t just an act for me, it’s never a means to an end. I have sex because I want my partner to feel good, to provide pleasure for them, and to share that intimacy with them. Knowing you don’t want that, that you wanted me to just... use you...” Ray took a small pause, breathing in slowly before continuing. “There’s so many other ways we can be close, that we can make each other feel good together, that aren’t one sided, that don’t hurt you.” Dex had held his gaze the whole time Ray spoke, and when he was finished, Dex looked down at his arm, which was still wrapped around his body. Ray’s grip had been getting stronger incrementally the longer he spoke, and he was quick to loosen off the moment he followed Dex’s line of sight. “I need to know Dex, you’ve got to be honest if I’m doing something you don’t like, or that you don’t want. I mean it. So… is this okay?” Ray patted Dex’s back gently, and Dex rolled his eyes affectionately.   
  
“Yeah, this is great Ray.”  
  
“And the kissing? How about when we go to sleep?”  
  
“Yes, and you mean when you steal the bed covers, and spoon so close I can feel your stubble on my neck? Sure. I don’t really appreciate the occasional dick poking me in the ass on a morning,” Ray flushed at the sudden crassness of Dex’s tone, and he swallowed with embarrassment. Earlier, their abstract conversations about pornography and strip clubs hadn’t bothered Ray. Now the conversation had shifted to Ray’s own anatomy, he felt a little more modest. “But that’s involuntary, I get it.” Dex paused for a few seconds, before his tone become serious once more. “Look, I’m sorry for trying to get you into bed under false pretences.”   
  
“No, I’m sorry. I should have realised. I just don’t want to hurt you, and I almost…” Ray was quickly spiralling into self-flagellation, and Dex wasn’t about to let Ray beat himself up.   
  
“You haven’t, and you won’t. I’m not gonna do something like this again, I swear. I just didn’t know how to tell you.”  
  
“Okay.” Ray swallowed thickly, biting his tongue so he didn’t continue on his self-destructive path. “So when Mendez made that comment...”  
  
“I wanted to punch him. It made me really uncomfortable.” Dex admitted with a small frown. “I know, he was just making a joke. I just hope he doesn’t make a habit of it.”  
  
“Well if he does it again, I’ll have him disciplined.”   
  
“You don’t have to do that. I’m a big boy Ray.”  
  
“It’s not happening.” Ray said firmly, and Dex must have liked the authority in his tone, because the edges of his mouth curled upwards the faintest amount. A shiver ran through him, and goosebumps raised on his bare arm. Dex's eyes glittered with tears, but he looked happier than he had been earlier in the conversation.  
  
“You know, it’s not really appropriate of you to be swinging your weight around off the clock. You might be superior in the office, but Mendez will probably say some bullshit about it being outside of the work place.”  
  
“That’s true...” Ray sighed, and slid his hand from Dex’s back to rub a hand over his raised skin and soothe it. “So I’ll give him an informal talking to about not being a dick on our nights out. He might think he can get away with it, but inside the work place? I’m not going to tolerate it, and that’s a promise.”  
  
Dex glowed under Ray’s declaration, and his eyes half lidded, catlike, as Ray leaned in to kiss his forehead.   
  
“Thanks, Ray.”  
  
“No, thank you, Dex, for being honest with me.” Ray reached up to stroke Dex’s cheek. Dex melted into the contact, practically purring. He turned his head to kiss Ray’s palm. “And I meant every word. Even if you don’t want to sleep with me, ever, that doesn’t matter. I love you because you’re you, Dex.”  
  
“Ray...”  
  
“No, please listen to me Dex. I love you because you’re thoughtful, like when you make sure I eat at work, and do my laundry, and make me coffee without being asked because you know I’m stressed. You’re generous, of course I know you’d so anything for me, you take care of me, and you’re so...” Ray kissed Dex’s forehead between words. “...so smart, and brave, despite everything life’s thrown at you. You’re good to me, Dex. I don’t need sex when you already give me so much.”  
  
Unable to reply through the lump in his throat, Dex wrapped both of his arms around Ray, and he let out a small, hiccuping sob when Ray did the same. Ray drew Dex up onto his chest, rubbing up and down his spine, up to his broad shoulders, and over his ribs as Dex coiled himself around Ray tightly. Ray could feel the wetness of Dex’s tears against his shoulder as his partner breathed in harsh, ragged pants. They lay like that, holding each other together for almost an hour, until Dex’s grief tapered out to a bone deep exhaustion. Ray, at this point, tapped two fingers to Dex’s shoulder and they reluctantly uncurled from their positions to shed the rest of their clothes down to their underwear.  
  
When Ray finally lay back under the covers, with Dex half stretched over his chest, he stroked Dex’s shoulder idly, rubbing up and down his partner’s strong upper arm. He let his thoughts drift back to their earlier conversation, about Dex, and the misguided, borderline dehumanising things that were expected of him. Ray wasn’t just discomforted with the concept of people expecting, or demanding sex from Dex when clearly he wasn’t interested. It bothered him that Dex’s devotion, his unwavering loyalty and craving for purpose, could be worth nothing in the face of someone who (despite clearly being attracted to all of those things), discarded him with scorn when he refused to sleep with them.   
  
Likewise, Ray knew the FBI treated Dex like an asset, and only turned a blind eye to his fluctuating, minefield of mental health so long as his talents continued to produce results. Ray often criticised the FBI’s approach to Dex’s skillset. While it was true, that Dex craved the order and job stability that came with being an agent, the pen pushers at the FBI wouldn’t think twice about cutting him loose the moment he became a liability.   
  
It crushed Ray inside, and made him angry, to know people had such little respect for someone who meant so much to him. Dex was one of the most important people in his life, and he had given Ray so much joy, and love, all the while needing little more than for Ray to acknowledge that he was wanted, and that Ray would continue to want him for as long as they lived.   
  
Reaching out beside him, Ray switched off the bedside light, before replacing his hand on Dex’s shoulder. Dex, half asleep, pressed a kiss against his collar, and smiled into his skin. They were both emotionally drained, and with work the next morning, they needed to sleep early if they were going to face the day head on.  
  
  
  
  
They entered the bureau side by side the next morning, having exchanged good luck kisses in the parking lot a minute ago. They wouldn’t see much of each other today, with Ray being called away to look over some suspect files, and Dex being assigned to intercept a foreign government official smuggling kidnapped girls into the red light district. Dex caught the man, quite literally, with his pants down, apprehended him with a little more force than necessary, and he was back in the office debriefing by noon. It was a flawless job, as usual, and Dex couldn’t help the way his eyes wandered to Ray, who he could see across the room, running over some details with a few rookies that were new to the force. Ray always did well with the new kids, and as Dex watched, he clapped his hand on the shoulder of a young girl who seemed to have said something impressive. They laughed briefly, and Ray swept his eyes around the office, meeting his own stare with a smile.  
  
Nothing had changed, Ray still loved him.

Ray made it to the rec room for a late lunch a few hours later, and when he pushed open the soundproofed doors, he scanned the groups of agents and caught sight of a few members of their team, sitting around a coffee table with Dex. Dex, who (as always) sat facing the door, looked up at Ray with a small smile when he entered.

Unfortunately, Mendez was also at the table, and when he spotted Ray, his mouth pulled into a grin. Ray didn’t have anything particularly against Mendez. The agent could be crass, and sometimes take his jokes a little too far. He wasn’t a bully, and his motive wasn’t homophobic, he was just a loudmouth, skilled enough at his job to get away with a little sass here and there. From his telling grin, Ray knew what was about to occur, and as he dropped onto the sofa next to Dex, he took his boyfriend’s hand in his own.

“So, was I right? I’ve been asking all morning, but Dex won’t spill any beans about last night.” Mendez waggled his eyebrows suggestively, hoping to continue the banter from last night’s conversation. Ray glanced up at Dex, and squeezed the other man’s hand, before regarding Mendez with a cool expression.

“Agent Mendez, I would appreciate it if you kept your prying about Dex and I’s private life to a minimum. It really isn’t any of your concern.” Ray smoothed his thumb over Dex’s knuckles, lacing Dex’s dextrous fingers between his. The other members of the group turned to Mendez for his response, who looked undeterred, a wide toothy grin still plastered on his face. Ray kept his face stern, and by now, a few other agents around them had looked up from their tables.

“What? I’m just trying to make a joke. We’re all guys here, right?”

“Yeah well, last I checked, unwanted sexual questions, remarks, or asking about someone’s sexual history? That’s harassment. As long as you wear that uniform, you represent the Bureau, which means you also uphold their standards. I would appreciate an apology, and in future, that you do not participate in sexual harassment at our workplace, thank you.”

A hush fell across the table, and finally,  _finally_ , Mendez’s smile dropped. It wasn’t often that Ray pulled rank like that, but in this case, Ray wasn’t about to give the team any excuse to draw out this gag any longer. Ray had thought long and carefully about what he wanted to say to Mendez, to make sure he wasn’t overreacting. It was far from Dex to accept special treatment, and there was a fine line between commanding respect, and making Dex feel like a special case. Beside him, Dex had gone still, and Ray turned his head to check that he hadn’t pushed too far. Dex, however, was smiling, in that slow, easy way that signified he was pleased with Mendez’s discipline.

“Alright, I’m sorry Nadeem.”

“Not to me, to Dex.”

“Sorry Dex, it was inappropriate of me.”

Dex gave Mendez a curt nod, and stood from their little group to make himself some coffee. Ray followed behind him, a hand on his lower back, and noted that unlike yesterday, he couldn't feel any tension in his partner’s posture. As they waited for the kettle to boil, they stood hip to hip, backs against the counter of the kitchen space. They stared out across the rec room, and Ray felt Dex’s fingers nudge against his own, twining them together.

“Too much?” Ray inclined his head towards Dex, who smiled, shaking his head.

“No, everything was just right. Thanks Ray.”

And everything was. Dex wasn’t sure what he expected from Ray. Perhaps he thought that Ray might judge him, or at the very least not understand, but try to make things work anyway. He knew Ray would love him, no matter what, but things may have ended up being irreversibly changed between them. In a worst case scenario, Ray may have tried to convince him, to persuade him into liking sex. A small, frightened part of Dex wasn’t sure whether he would have had the courage to refuse him either.

But Ray was not any of those things. Ray would never judge him, would never try to convince him, coerce him, belittle or fight with him. Dex would never have to sacrifice his body’s comfort to keep their relationship.

“Dex?”

Dex was so deep in his thoughts, that he hadn’t noticed Ray holding out his coffee. Dex smiled widely, took it in both hands, and cupped it warmly against his chest. He leaned over to kiss Ray’s cheek, before shrugging himself away from the counter.

“Shall we take a walk?” Dex suggested.

“Yeah, let’s. I could do with some fresh air.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think <3
> 
> I really REALLY love Dex/Ray, so if you would like to  
> share your headcannons/thoughts, you're welcome to do so  
> in the comment section down below! :)
> 
> \- SunshineGrimes


End file.
